Configurating updates: stage 3 of 3 stuck in endless reboot loop
- My install of the SP1 RC Refesh has gone wrong.
Everytime I start the computer it says:
Configurating updates: stage 3 of 3 - 0% complete
And then reboots, and reboots, and reboots ... I had it rebooting for over an hour before I stopped the madness.
All the safe modes does the same, so how do I uninstall the installer, without being able to log in?
Answers
Hi All:
I wanted to put in some pointers to specific information in this long thread:
1) If you hit this issue installing from Windows Update, please see this KB article, or contact support directly:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
2) The issue has been fixed with the current versions of the update. To read more about the problem and the fix please see: http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2008/04/07/windows-vista-sp1-prerequisite-kb937287.aspx
All Replies
I'm having exactly the same problem. HELP!
Are you Dual booting your machine? If so then you need to fix your mbr to only boot Vista Temporarily.
- Nope, I'm only running Vista on my machine.
I found a brute force solution to my problem.
I yanked the power coord when it said ”do not turn off your computer”. That resulted in a trashed filesystem - it wouldn't even boot (they weren't kidding).
I put the disk in another computer running XP, there I ran chkdisk which fixed the filesystem (took 2 hours).
When I put the disk back it booted into vista with no mention of the 'configurating updates'. But now I'm not sure if I dare try windows update again ...
It's definitely a brute force approach, but extraordinary problems require extraordinary measures!
Are you sure your system is A-OK? Was the filesystem the only part that was damaged?
Thanks for your help!
- Actually the mouse and keyboard stopped working ... Looks like there is no escaping a reinstall - damn it!
- I am having exactly the same problem. Have no solutions been found yet?
- Same problem here! Your stupid SP1 preupdates have destroyed my access to my computer!? I'm watching it reboot for the nth time!
I am having exactly the same problem. ANY FIX YET ??? HELP PLEASE !!
My OS: Vista businese- TO all:
boot from your install disc... do system repair, system restore! Abort from Dantes Circle of Stage 3
Repent! - Hey, will this wipe all recently saved files? I have one important document on mine (well, I say mine, it's my other half's and he didn't back up to the shiny exHD I bought him!)
- I know exactly how you feel... I can't get onto mine at all and there's a freaking dissertation on there that's due in soon. If I have to reinstall and lose the whole damn thing I'm making an official complaint.
echostormfury wrote: Same problem here! What the hell Microsoft? Your damn SP1 preupdates have destroyed my access to my computer!? I'm watching it reboot for the 25th time!
I didn't choose to do this to my laptop, it's an auto-update so it's entirely microsoft's fault. FOUND A SOLUTION
Depending on your version place any 32 or 64 bit VISTA dvd in your computer and reboot it.
Boot from the DVD ROM
Select restore from a previous restore point
The first two restore points available to me failed. i had to go back 3 days before i found one that worked for me.
After that, manually attempt to download and install the update that was giving you issue. i simply disabled automatic updates until i can find out more about why this even happened.
- Entirely Microsoft's fault, eh? You don't HAVE to have automatic updates turned ON. You should learn to take responsibility for your own actions. If it was enabled by default, you should have disabled it. Any savvy user knows that automatic updates is a bad idea. If it was not enabled by default then you're a moron for enabling it and then whining when you get bit.
- Yes it is Microsoft's fault. They should check that their update isn't going to kill everyone's systems before they release it.
I'm an XP user, and the Vista laptop belongs to my OH. If I weren't here his laptop would STILL be going through that loop and he wouldn't have a clue what to do with it. Automatic Updates were on by default. He didn't even know that his system updates itself regularly as it's far from common sense.
Unfortunately, nobody explains these "vital" bits of information when you purchase a computer, so how the hell are we to know? If you don't know that something exists then why are you going to go looking for it and attempt to alter it?
All he wants a laptop for is the internet and word, he didn't ask for this to happen and he certainly didn't do anything to make it happen.
I found a way to turn updates off and it says that leaving it on is recommended, so Microsoft is actually recommending that we let them bugger our machines?
Sorry we aren't "savvy users". It isn't common knowledge. - I got the OH's system working in a similar method too.
He didn't get a disc with his laptop, the guy claimed everything he needed was already on the machine, so I got a system repair and then system scan going from pressing F8 at the right screen.
The first restore point worked just fine for us, thankfully otherwise I'd probably still be tearing out my hair! I'm entirely in agreement with the above poster.
It's a release candidate. It's NOT supposed to be installed on a production machine.
That equates to any machine that is critical to you.
This is clearly stated.
It's you're own fault if you've lost data.
- You're not a saavy user, just a bully. Microsoft has been telling people for a long time now that they should turn autoupdate ON. That's why they shipped Vista OS with autoupdate enabled by default. Machines were much more vulnerable in the past because no one bothered to install patches. Autoupdate addresses that problem. Microsoft is making big changes to the kernel right now and it looks like these pre-SP1 updates were not fully tested. That is not the end user's responsibility, it is the vendor's.
- Wow. U r smart. Plz DIAF. Kthxbye.
/snide
Any automatic publish should be tested much more thoroughly to avoid exactly this. Any update disabling a user's system is to be avoided at all costs. Microsoft's automatic update failed, thus yes its Microsoft's fault.
Whether or not a user is savy enough to disable automatic updates, and attentive enough to keep their system patched of their own accord is irrelevent. The de facto disabling of automated updates causes as much difficulty for the end user as not. Look to antivirus updates as a singularly irritating example. I really love it when someone states that anyone who has a Microsoft Update feature enabled is a moron. Do I trust Microsoft to automatically update my machine? NO! I am a very advanced user who knows when to relinquish control of my operating system to Microsoft. BUT, the fact that Microsoft is unable to package their service pack in a manner that works without this type of issue leads me to believe that the moron is not the user, but the developer/development team that did not adequately code their application to work out of box in the manner configured by Microsoft in the first place. Put the responsibility where it belongs - on the incompetent developers that wrote this HORRIBLE operating system and not in the lap of the unfortunate consumer who likely had no choice but to buy a computer with this mess preinstalled.
I worked on testing Vista in "cooperation" with Microsoft prior to its' beta launch and found so many problems that I decided to find employment elsewhere rather than support this poorly designed and implemeneted resource-heavy piece of excrement.
My unsolicited recommendation to resolve this issue would be to do whatever you have to do to get XP installed on your system and then proceed to have a nice day.
TheQuestioner wrote: I really love it when someone states that anyone who has a Microsoft Update feature enabled is a moron. Do I trust Microsoft to automatically update my machine? NO! I am a very advanced user who knows when to relinquish control of my operating system to Microsoft. BUT, the fact that Microsoft is unable to package their service pack in a manner that works without this type of issue leads me to believe that the moron is not the user, but the developer/development team that did not adequately code their application to work out of box in the manner configured by Microsoft in the first place. Put the responsibility where it belongs - on the incompetent developers that wrote this HORRIBLE operating system and not in the lap of the unfortunate consumer who likely had no choice but to buy a computer with this mess preinstalled.
I worked on testing Vista in "cooperation" with Microsoft prior to its' beta launch and found so many problems that I decided to find employment elsewhere rather than support this poorly designed and implemeneted resource-heavy piece of excrement.
My unsolicited recommendation to resolve this issue would be to do whatever you have to do to get XP installed on your system and then proceed to have a nice day.
I'm confused. The opening post in this thread refers to SP1 RC, and not the currently available SP1 proper (available since yesterday via MSDN) also that opening post was made before yesterday so apparently does not pertain to the actuall current SP1 that has been made available.
So, are people here referring to the RC or the proper released SP1?
Thx
- 1) Go to ubuntu web site.
2) Download ubuntu.
3) Run it.
4) That should fix all of your windows problems. - Agreed, get linux
- While this would work for a casual user who only wants to use a computer for internet and email, most other casual users wouldhave a hard time, especially if they were of the gaming variety.
As this is not a MS vs GNU forum, I won't go into that, but let's just say that anyone wanting to play WoW, Halo, or Bioshock had better be running something other than Linux. Unless you are really good at tweaking wine, which is even more difficult when you do it on a 64-bit install of Debian.
That said, I am a gamer, who is currently using Debian because my Windows won't boot and gives me only a BSoD when I try to boot at the moment (a recurring problem which makes me reinstall about every 6-9 months). Fun stuff. I am running into the same problem with the update. Stuck on 3 of 3 etc... I do not have a DVD ROM as Vista came already loaded when I purchased my computer.
Any suggestion on how to restore to previous date without the DVD ROM?
- Ohhh c'mom now. This RC thing is c-r-a-p!!! How in the name of god, a company that is worth billions and billions of dollars, with tens of thousand on their workforce, with virtually unlimited resources can release unstable RC for the general public?
Peoples boxes, production OR NOT, are not mouse labs. They have their own labs, it should be tested and tested and tested.... and tested........ and tested again before releasing RC OR NOT to the general public.
I got to tell ya, I use Linux, Gentoo distro for 2 years now, and for a FREE OS it's updates NEVER done that. I never EVER lost one bit of data because of updates done in my Gentoo.
I know the thread is about solutions, but you people saying is the user fault, please, come back to earth now....
MS have all the fault !!! They should AT LEAST send someone over to fix peoples boxes. - mrsteveargonman, you are a complete and utter idiot. Microsoft has touted automatic update as a reliable feature for the evolution of the operating system that these people have paid hundreds of dollars for. Microsoft has repeatededly and often stated that Automatic Updates are critical for fixing widespread security problems with the OS and has continually assured users that the testing process for releases has gotten better. And it has for the most part. The number of issues that people experience using Automatic Updates during the last few years have dramatically reduced, but with things like WSUS and Office updates being combined with OS updates, it's clear that MS is pushing users to feel safe about automatically updating their products.
So, take your elitist bs elsewhere. This is entirely MS' fault and its for the same reason that other updates have broken machines in the past: MS is under constant economic pressure. Economics force the timelines for these releases, not user features, or stability or even security. MS is losing their tail on Vista and needed SP1 to come out sooner rather than later so that reluctant Corporate customers who are still buying XP (which the IT department I manage is still doing) will start adopting Vista as many of them still adhere to the "I'm waiting till SP1" doctrine.
This is exactly why I'll wait to deploy Vista for as long as possible and also encourage alternative OS's in my IT environment. It doesn't matter what OS / product it is. There are a few things that are bascis
1. When the audience is wide, Not everyone is well experienced with the concepts of advanced computing. There is a majority that uses computers for browsing, e-mailing and entertainment. The company providing the service should be aware of this and have it as a guiding principle for any of it's product designs.
2. When a company decides for the user what the best options are, the company automatically owns up to any issues that arise out of this suggestion.
3. The end users systems are not development/testing environments. The user has paid for the hardware and also the licensing for "a working copy" of the software.
Every OS has it's starts and also limitations. Linux , OS X, Windows and it is absurd to defend their faults just because we are passionate about them. This is a case where microsoft has made a mistake and what I find annoying is that none of the employees of this company (or admins of technet) have had the courtesy to say a word on this issue (in this forumn).
Issuing statments is a matter of formality but they don't seem to own up to what they do!
Furthur wrote: Agreed, get linux I've been going with dual-boot Ubuntu and Vista for quite some time now (and before that Ubuntu/XP). I like Ubuntu a lot but it is not without its problems. Drake/Eft (6.n) did not support Broadcom drivers so wireless did not work. I spent hours trying all kinds of things (ndiswrapper etc. etc.) to no avail. Now with Gibbon (7.10) that is fixed but on my Lenovo T61P, GIbbon doesn't work correctly with NVidia Quad FX 570M. You can barely see the screen half the time. My workaround is to Ctrl-Alt F1 to shell out and manually set the brightness. In any Microsoft OS I've never had any problems with video or wireless drivers. Typically things are tested much more thoroughly with Microsoft OS versions. XP/Vista is excellent for the typical home user who doesn't want to think about their OS. Ubuntu isn't there yet.
Having said that, I like the direction Ubuntu is going: simpler is always better. It's way faster than Vista. It feels agile. Vista feels heavy. It was a snap to load the MonoDevelop package and doing software development on Ubuntu is fast and painless. When I develop in Visual Studio 2005 on Vista I can crash the OS shell pretty easily because of an incompatibility between VS 2005 and Vista. I can crash Vista just by opening Windows Explorer right after boot up when services are still loading.
I'm rambling but my advice to the enthusiast is to dual-boot with Ubuntu and WinOS to get the best of both worlds. These days I'm trying to avoid reliance on my physical machine and to move my life into the cloud (Gmail, 37Signals, etc.) so Ubuntu is perfect for quickly getting up and running with a Firefox instance where I don't have the patience to wait 5+ minutes for startup of a heavy OS. When I need Visual Studio 2005/2008 then I obviously have to boot up in Vista. If the day comes when I can do all of my software development in Mono then Vista might be obsolete for me at least.
I would suggest that you do the system restore (as suggested in this thread) or a fresh install.
You can remove your hard drive and attach it to another system (you get 25 " external enclosure failry cheap these days). The only pain is installing all your software from scratch.
Vista SP1 IS NOT being auto deployed at this time.
Let's be very clear about this.
- Wow, you're kind of an a-hole. Microsoft *wants* you to do automatic updates, and it's a pain when you don't. That's why they enable it by default. I mean, you should be able to do what your OS tells you without getting your @$$ slammed.
Windows is also the de facto standard for non-techies, so if they want to keep charging hundreds for their software, they need to keep that in mind and overtest accordingly before releasing in what they *know* will update automatically for millions of users.
I opt for Linux. It's a little more work, but at least you get to be a condescending b@$+@rd every once in a while - "Microsoft *wants* you to do automatic updates, and it's a pain when you don't. That's why they enable it by default. I mean, you should be able to do what your OS tells you without getting your @$$ slammed."
Incorrect. This is actually the root problem with Windows users. You should NOT expect your PC to do anything without your explicit instruction.
This includes updates, software installs, cleanup and a host of other activities.
Any computer users first mistake is letting it do anything on it's own. OS is irrelevent. - I'm sorry (not really), but *you're* incorrect. If MS sets auto-updates by default, they're telling you that's how they want you to run their software. Stop being an elitist, and understand that most people are not technically capable of knowing which updates they should or shouldn't allow. And they're not supposed to be. You shouldn't need a Comp Sci degree to run an OS, that's what you're paying for. Not that you have a Comp Sci degree, or there's a chance you'd know that.
"Oh look, it's video driver update C13501. I should block that one, I've heard bad things about the C135 series..."
Yeah right. - "Oh look, it's video driver update C13501. I should block that one, I've heard bad things about the C135 series..."
- Yeah right.
Wow, I think a windows user just learned something. That is exactly the way you should do things. I have been using a computer for about a year and have no formal training whatsoever. Just by turning off auto update and reading what the updates are for every time can give you invaluable info on what M$ is doing. The reason M$ suggests auto update is on is because they don't want you to know how unsecure this thing is. If everyone found this out, the jig would be up.
I installed Ubuntu about 3 months ago and am finding that I boot Vista less and less. But I digress. What it boils down to is that if you don't know what your doing, you get what you deserve. What happens if you go out shooting a gun and you don't know what your doing? You probably end up shooing yourself in the foot.- I have to agree with MrSteveArgonMan. If Microsoft suggests something, its probably better to do the opposite. Since they recommend upgrading to Vista, I'm staying as far away as possible. Remember Windows ME???
EGoff wrote: 1) Go to ubuntu web site.
2) Download ubuntu.
3) Run it.
4) That should fix all of your windows problems.Oh please, not another fan of some old 60's college project that's been hacked, copied, tweaked, drooled over and worshipped.
I played with Ubuntu once, I mean its a toy, for goodness sake, I'm always amazed at the number of pseudo-techies that actually belive all this hype about Unix and its derivatives.
Get it straight: Unix was "designed" in the late 60's and cobbled together by a few geeks in the early 70's. It borrowed (and did so badly) from Multics, but missed all the solid bits and focused on gimmicky unreadable command line progs.
Even Linux is just a clone of Unix, all these OSs are very old, the design uses weak, dated concepts, only Microsoft had the balls to sit down and design NT from scratch, with a team that knew what they were doing. Everyone else just took the easy way out and cloned Unix which is simply very old technology nowadays.
Wake up.
- I ran into the same thing.
Here is what I did to fix it (temporarily).
- Boot into safe mode.
- Uninstall the last few Vista Updates
- Reboot
- Turn off Automatic updates until they resolve this issue.
I ended up turning off automatic updates on all my other systems just in case.
-Paul - It's a problem when techies (or wannabees) glorify themselves above the rest. I'm a software engineer, so I'm no idiot when it comes to computers. But saying that lesser-trained people "get what they deserve" is ridiculous. I know enough about cars to do most of my maintentance myself, more than the average guy. But it would be stupid of me to say that people "get what they deserve" if they don't know how to change their fuel filter, for instance.
And a gun is a bad example. Nobody *needs* to use a gun, but just about everybody needs, and has the right to, use a computer without being made to feel like an idiot by people who think they know better. Blame Microsoft all you want, they're the ones who should have known better. But don't blame the average computer user for following the manufacturer's directions. Hugo6003 wrote: Oh please, not another fan of some old 60's college project that's been hacked, copied, tweaked, drooled over and worshipped.
I played with Ubuntu once, I mean its a toy, for goodness sake, I'm always amazed at the number of pseudo-techies that actually belive all this hype about Unix and its derivatives.
Get it straight: Unix was "designed" in the late 60's and cobbled together by a few geeks in the early 70's. It borrowed (and did so badly) from Multics, but missed all the solid bits and focused on gimmicky unreadable command line progs.
Even Linux is just a clone of Unix, all these OSs are very old, the design uses weak, dated concepts, only Microsoft had the balls to sit down and design NT from scratch, with a team that knew what they were doing. Everyone else just took the easy way out and cloned Unix which is simply very old technology nowadays.
Wake up.
What the....?
The fact that UNIX is old is a good thing. It's proven technology.
Oh, and Windows NT is not totally original - nor is anything for that matter. But NT has roots in RSX-11/DEC VMS (at least in design/inspiration), not to mention that the network stack is directly derived from BSD Unix. I'm not saying that it's bad that these things are derived from other technologies - but wake up and smell the coffee. Computing is old, and all technologies copy each other, no matter what you think. Just because Linux is quite 'obviously' based on old technology does not make it bad - nor does it mean that apparently 'separate' technology is nothing to do with it.- Use any example you want:
- If you don't know how to drive a car, should you be on the road?
- If you don't know survival skills, should you go up in to the mountains?
- If you don't know how to swim, should you get in the pool?
- If you don't know how to change the fuel filter, should you really try to do it?
People not knowing what is going on in their own computers is the whole reason that the internet is in the state that it's in. Ever heard of a botnet or a zombie? I know this isn't what the thread is about, but it just makes me madder than hell the way everyone panders to people that don't know how to properly use their zombie machines (LOL). We had the same thing with Vista Business laptop from HP. I held the power button down to shut it down and restarted in safe mode and let it continue. I had to do this a couple of times then it finally came back to a login.
I suspect it was Zone Alarm that was getting in the way since on restart it flagged a TrueVector device driver as being incompatible with SP1 and it was disabled and so was all the network access with it. Uninstalling Zone Alarm and rebooting the laptop and all was good.
This is probably one of the device drivers that needs to be updated before SP1 can go out via WU.
Hope this helps...
- Stuck stuck stuck.
Can't do a system restore point because Vista does not recognize my RAID1 drives so it's as if there is no OS available lest I load my drivers except I can't load them on from anywhere because they only exist as some archaic floppy disc image Intel 82801FR .
Can't do an upgrade (repair) install as I need to be in windows to do so
Can't enter safe more without looping
Can't boot normally without looping
Ideas anyone? krAzykrAkr01 wrote: Use any example you want:
- If you don't know how to drive a car, should you be on the road?
- If you don't know survival skills, should you go up in to the mountains?
- If you don't know how to swim, should you get in the pool?
- If you don't know how to change the fuel filter, should you really try to do it?
People not knowing what is going on in their own computers is the whole reason that the internet is in the state that it's in. Ever heard of a botnet or a zombie? I know this isn't what the thread is about, but it just makes me madder than hell the way everyone panders to people that don't know how to properly use their zombie machines (LOL).
Theres one significant difference your missing here, it's the "appliance factor", i.e. i know its technologically different but to some people a computer is "just another appliance". My ex was like this about her car as her attitude about her car was "dont know how it works, dont care, i just drive it and refill the fuel when its low, and leave the maintenence to my grandpa". My mrs is a little the same but because it's a company car. She still does have an idea about it, but leaves it up to the greasemonkeys to fix things when they break. Which leads me onto my next point, which is why Apple is so popular with a lot of people that dont know very much about computers. Updates rarely fail, everything is simple, and until you start messing with the innards 9/10 times it "just works" like a toaster does.
I've lost count of how many times ive had to rebuild or recover my pc simply because a stupid update from microsoft has failed, and this is on a relatively vanilla install (office, nero, avast antivirus, kerio firewall, spybot, firefox and a handfull of other applications) which i know is clean of viruses and worms, etc. God forbid what happens to those that have the toaster attitude towards pc's, not because they are ignorant or deserve to be damned in hell forever, but simply BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW ANY BETTER.
A last thought on this, how many times have you seen a clever person (lawyer, doctor, CEO) go into "idiot user mode" the moment they get within 10 feet of a computer? if you say none, then chances are you don't know too many people.- Same thing happened to me. I had to reformat my hard drive and reinstall Windows Vista. Messed everything up BIG TIME..
Just be thankful you're not running BitLocker when this happened.
Anyway, to make a long story short, once we got our hands on the BitLocker recovery password, we were able to boot into Safe Mode and Restore to a previous point. From there, we ran the Windows Updates manually, and it worked fine from there.
This was on a Vista Enterprise install that we're running in advance of our target deployment in June 2008, and this particular machine only had Automatic Updates turned on, this was NOT related to a SP1 RC.
Here's hoping it doesn't happen to any of our other beta testers, because this extra BitLocker step is a royal pain.
Cheers,
u2sparky- Why would you leave a comment like that - its not helpful. These people are having trouble because they are using their systems with the default settings and are now experiencing potential data loss. Its not a joke - stop being a troll.
PokySmot wrote: TO all:
boot from your install disc... do system repair, system restore! Abort from Dantes Circle of Stage 3
Repent!
But I cant loose all the work-stuff on my computer.
Then I am using a HP laptop, so I dont have any cd's
(they're using the "discless system").Chh77 wrote: My install of the SP1 RC Refesh has gone wrong.
Everytime I start the computer it says:
Configurating updates: stage 3 of 3 - 0% complete
And then reboots, and reboots, and reboots ... I had it rebooting for over an hour before I stopped the madness.
All the safe modes does the same, so how do I uninstall the installer, without being able to log in?I had the sameproblem here..
I tried to restore using System Restore using Vista DVD but unfortunately it said there is no restore point..
Finally i had to format the whole system..
I did not download the update. I got it through Windows Update ...Why is the update released via Windows Update, while it is stated that it is released to RTM customers only right?
huh.Lost everything..
- Worked a treat - thanks for your help.
Tankie642 wrote: Yes it is Microsoft's fault. They should check that their update isn't going to kill everyone's systems before they release it.
I'm an XP user, and the Vista laptop belongs to my OH. If I weren't here his laptop would STILL be going through that loop and he wouldn't have a clue what to do with it. Automatic Updates were on by default. He didn't even know that his system updates itself regularly as it's far from common sense.
Unfortunately, nobody explains these "vital" bits of information when you purchase a computer, so how the hell are we to know? If you don't know that something exists then why are you going to go looking for it and attempt to alter it?
All he wants a laptop for is the internet and word, he didn't ask for this to happen and he certainly didn't do anything to make it happen.
I found a way to turn updates off and it says that leaving it on is recommended, so Microsoft is actually recommending that we let them bugger our machines?
Sorry we aren't "savvy users". It isn't common knowledge.I just have to comment on this and make sure I'm 100% clear. People don't know how to use their own computers and instead of being motivated and learn how to use them themselves, MS should offer a class to teach someone how to use it? Probably for free as well I assume? Are you an idiot, seriously? That's like saying that Ford should teach everyone how to drive with their own free branded driving school before selling them a car (or whatever your favorite car company is, Ford isn't mine at all BTW). Would this ever happen? Short answer no. Longer answer hell no. MS recommends you leave automatic updates on only because the majority of users today are in your class "the computer should turn on and work like a champ no matter what". So that means users don't even know or care what updates are, let alone know enough to check and install them. Don't blame MS for your lack of knowledge and your unwillingness to learn that is *your* fault. BTW, not defending MS at all here, I'm just saying that users needs to know what they doing instead of depending on a company to hold there hand through the computing experience. What if everyone was still using DOS or had to use Linux (and not the GUI based versions of it). What then? Then we would have people who complained that everything was too hard and they couldn't do it and training should be offered by companies and....oh wait that happens anyway even with the current computing enviroment today that even a 3 year old can operate. I'm off my soapbox now.
- Fixed Problem on my wife's machine- Vista Home Premium 64 bit, ASUS mb, AMD proc. Ran system recovery from disk. Recovered from 5 days ago. Lost ALL my data. Reconfigured machine for Linux. Bought her an Apple. I've been building machines for 20 years, this is the last straw. Never again will I use MS.
Well, I have not had this problem but I felt the need to respond.
Using your thought about Ford, lets look at it like that SHALL WE???
Updates are ment to solve problems, Correct? Be it security or operational functions. This would be simular to a safety recall on the vehicle, which like most people they don't even know about, unless they get a card in the mail. Auto-Update is simular to a recall to fix a problem. Further, if you buy a new car, and have x number of years free service on said car, would you take your car to the mechanic down the street and pay for the service or go to the company where you bought the car and have it done for free.
MS is like the dealership, They made the car, they promissed a good product and during a "Recall" just blew up said car. So we should all point the finger at the owner of the car, and say how stupid they are for letting the dealer work on the car? I think not. In fact we would all wonder why they have not sued the dealer yet if they had not replaced it.
The fact is, MS should not release any updates till they are tested, and people should not try to become beta testers or even alpha testers when it comes to thier computers.
As for peoples knowledge about computers, yeah it does lack alot, but it would be simular to me placing young driver who just passed drivers-ed in a nascar race and complaining because he is not upto speed and wrecks out. (How many people do you see that drive badly for many years).
As for my computer experinance, I grew up on computers, and I help alot of people. Further, I don't charge them, I fix the problem, The same as I run my radio business. If they need a new radio, I find out what they need, I set them up, and if there is a problem I fix it. If they do something that is not covered by a warrenty, They know it. If the radio fails and it is covered, I fix or replace it, and while I do that I provide a replacement while I do the work. The few problems I have had, has incressed my business, why? Because I admited fault, fixed the problem. This is normally within a day. Sadly, most businesses don't do this anymore.
If MS would like to take some notes from me, I am avalible to consult them. I will await thier call without holding my breath.
- I have exactly the same problem and i have tried everything offered, safe mode, safe mode with networking etc. i have the install disc and no problem getting to system restore/repair, but no restore point.
I don't have automatic updates turned on, after previously getting shafted with a video card update. That required a reformat and reinstall.
This time i stupidly allowed the install of 4 update without checking them individually has i have in the past.
Why is everyone sniping and blaming individuals for their lack of computer literacy? all we want is a solution for this crappy situation. - Thanks to the people who actually tried to help with the problem, I also had to restore my system.
I also wanted to agree with blgedd. It is great that some of you have tech careers or are hobbyists. However, with the ubiquitous nature of computers, not all of us have time to be expert users, as we are doing other things like, leaving the house or getting laid. I certainly do not have to defend my level of knowledge to anyone. If you do not have a solution or helpful information for the clearly stated problem, could you please post your opinions in places where nerds battle other nerds over nerd topics? Thanks! I had a similar problem and was able to boot from a previous configuration. I uninstalled AVG and updated and the update worked fine. I now use Live OneCare.
- All right, well I wasn't comparing MS to Ford at all as far as bussinesses. After all, they are in two totally differnet industries. I was just trying to illusitrate the USEAGE of a product made by the company and who should be responsible to show the end user how to use product. I agree that patches should be put out when a security hole is found (or software bug or whatever) and safety recalls should be done when needed. What I don't agree with is these actions being done without the users knowledge (and implying consent by auto applying them).
To go along with the Ford analogy a bit further, it would be like them coming out to your house in the middle of the night to replace something on your car (and you didn't notice it) and then eureka, it's fixed. But wait, how to know it was broken in the first place? That's where the education part comes in. This is all I was saying with my complaint was that most users are not educated enough on their home computers and don't want to educate themselves in this area. As long as it works, great, but if it doesn't, most users don't have the knowledge as to how to fix it themselves and automatically blame the software maker for whatever is wrong.
I'm a moderately experienced user myself and haven't any issue I couldn't fix/work out myself. BTW, while I do enjoy computers and learning about them I'd say at least 85-90% of my knowledge has all been self-taught (or at least going out and getting the info from someone else to teach myself via forums and such). If you want to learn this stuff....correction if you need to learn this stuff then get a book and read about it. Everyone has to start on the bottom for knowledge. No one knows everything the first time doing anything. All I was trying to say before is the average user needs to be a little mroe familiar with their PC and what is going on with it is all. The ultimate responsibility for that lies with the user, not the software company.
As a side note, MS (and pretty much every other piece of software ever) does offer help files with programs. Also, I could be wrong since I've never had to use them, but aren't tutorial cd's/programs offered on how to use this stuff?
Oh and in reply to the poster a couple above mine, I have plenty to do in my life, am quite busy, and have a wife and a house, so I must have some kind of life and be doing something right. The ONLY thing I'm saying is don't try and use a car without knowing how to drive same as don't use a computer without having at least a little bit of knowledge about it. - Driving a car? Sixties college projects? Toasters? REALLY??
Good gawd, I hate to even join this drivel, but do any of you cone-headed, pocket-protector-wearing geeks think that ANY of the conversation about WHY this problem occurs is helping anyone that HAS the problem?
FFS, go to the "I have nothing better to do than iron my Linux/MacOS/Commodore64 t-shirt collection" forum to continue your mindless babbling and insipid sniping at each other.
See the TOPIC, gentlemen, in case you've forgotten what this thread is SUPPOSED to be discussing. Dear Mrs. Teveargonman,
Turning off updates and ignoring security patches determined to be critical by the manufacture of your operating system and meant to fix crutial holes and vulnerabilities is more of a moronic move than expecting the updates to be compatable or atleast having a way to abort the installation when they go wrong.
- Yous truly,
Savvy User with auto-updates turned on.
Microsoft people, I assume, get paid for their work.
Doctors get paid and leave the patient on the operating table?
Cops get paid and walk by as another idiot shoots another bunch of students?
Bus drivers just pulls over and tells everyone to get off? How about pilots?
You cannot send out an SP like this knowing what it would do, and they KNOW what it would do, they just don't care because MaBell didn't care, Amtrak doesn't care... they are a monopoly.
We are all victims, and it IS their fault. If you think rape victims deserve what they get, then you are the best customer Microfuck has..
I was able to contain the damage.. but I should not have to.. and I don't see the $ 520.00 check from MS for my wasted hours.
Everyone responsible for this Vista SP is a shithead..simple as that.. no exceptions..Maybe you can, with Spinrite and a recovery tool, recover the most data.
see www.grc.com Burn an .iso onto a cd (do not, repeat do not, install SR on the c partition!). Boot from the cd, run SR in mode 4, wait 2 hours and run a recovery tool (e.g. File Scavanger).
Maybe it is possible that SR can restore a crashed Vista-system before the update.
good luck
- 3 hours on the phone with Microsoft Technical Support did not get me anywhere except to a "professional level technician" that asked me right off the bat to pay $249 for the incident support. After expressing my incredulity at such a ridiculous offer for their own security patch deployment screw up, I asked to talk to her manager and eventually he called back 12 hours later to sympathize with me that he has no idea what is going on from over in Bangladore.
So unlike some lucky few who have been able to find a restore point, I was unable to find a restore point let alone my harddisks! To add insult to injury apparently during the course of Vista's development they convenients and subversively caused a massive support problem with Intel RAID controllers. Just so happens that my system disks were configured in a RAID-1 array. I loaded every single instantiation of RAID drivers circa 1994 - and NOTHING worked to have Windows Setup see my installations - so in essence: NO RESTORE POINT FOR YOU.
At this point I was crippled, no access to the OS, no way to break through this endless bricking loop, no way to restore to a previous point, and yet paradoxically through the Windows Vista System Repair environment's cmd I still had full access to my C:\ contents -- IN MY RAID1 CONFIGURATION!
So short of xcopying everything out of my RAID1, I broke my RAID1 array via my RAID BIOS (After much searching to ensure this indeed is non-destructive since the BIOS does warn you twice that EVERYTHING WILL BE DELETED, I finally found comfort at Intel's own website (http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-022836.htm) that RAID1 can be broken without any data loss.
So I now have to migrate my data out, reinstall Windows, and salvage my files in a new install. This would be easy except for the fact that I had over 100 applications installed (now to REINSTALL), and 1TB worth of data to sort through.
Points Learned:
Microsoft Sucks (Relearned)
Microsoft Windows Vista <Anything> Sucks (Relearned)
Microsoft Windows Update should BE TURNED OFF from Automatic Updates (Not feasible or practicle, but I'd rather be hacked and whored than risk losing ALL MY FILES again due to stupidity rather than devious ingenuity)
RAID with Windows <Anything> is trouble (sync a backup instead daily, or image weekly)
A likely culprit: AVG may be contributory to this problem
And did I mention, Microsoft Sucks?
Microsoft you owe me 14 hrs of my time Entirely Microsoft's fault, eh? You don't HAVE to have automatic updates turned ON. You should learn to take responsibility for your own actions. If it was enabled by default, you should have disabled it. Any savvy user knows that automatic updates is a bad idea. If it was not enabled by default then you're a moron for enabling it and then whining when you get bit.
Thanks, I,m sure that everyone who has had their computer trashed by this Microsoft update feels so much better now..
Pity I'm a Moron and not a techno geek who had no idea that you have to turn the auto updates off as Microsoft cannot be trusted not to F%$* it all up for all us Morons
P.S My girfriend thinks that you are spending too much time alone in your bedroom if all you can do is come up with stupid comments when you obviously do not have a clue how to help anyone with the problem....
Tried this and does not work, what kind of DVD ROM did you have to use? where did the restore option come up?
- What should I do if my one and only restore point available was after this update was downloaded and to be installed?
Henry Octop wrote:
Microsoft people, I assume, get paid for their work.
Doctors get paid and leave the patient on the operating table?
Cops get paid and walk by as another idiot shoots another bunch of students?
Bus drivers just pulls over and tells everyone to get off? How about pilots?
You cannot send out an SP like this knowing what it would do, and they KNOW what it would do, they just don't care because MaBell didn't care, Amtrak doesn't care... they are a monopoly.
We are all victims, and it IS their fault. If you think rape victims deserve what they get, then you are the best customer Microfuck has..
I was able to contain the damage.. but I should not have to.. and I don't see the $ 520.00 check from MS for my wasted hours.
Everyone responsible for this Vista SP is a shithead..simple as that.. no exceptions..Can't agree more .......................
- Did you ever find a solution to this? It's happening to me now.
To me this does not seem real, and too many I think most of the negative put down stuff on here, are sore loosers who do not have Sp 1 for vista, or vista for all that matters!! Grow up! Trolls!!
Honestly i dislike some of their tactics, and how they worked my mate to the bone when he worked with them. But they are a software development company and (with very few exceptions) as a development company their software is going to have faults and bugs. Sometimes its to do with a simple DLL call or something as minor, but other times it will be something as complicated as installing an update to a core component of the system and multiple subsections.
Sometimes the updates work a treat, but every once in a while it will smoke a system, in particulari remember on one particular system i couldnt install this one security update, simply as it would ALWAYS crash this one pc. It worked fine on my other systems but just this one system with exactly the same software caused the system to fail totally. I dont know the hows and why's but the end result was i had to block that individual patch from installing and everything worked a treat
Then again there are other instances where the update wasn't even CLOSE to passing Quality Assurance and it manages to slip through for live submission. for an example of the patch approval team having had a big weekend prior to "patch Tuesday" look at this, this or even this. All were found on the first page of doing a search for bad windows patch.
It doesn't help the installer other than to show that it's not just his pc but that they messed up with the windows patching.
My belief is that they should have a better form of error conditioning and improve the softwares ability to work around quirks like this, or at the worst it fails the install (which is just a poor excuse for giving up to be honest). [edit] afterthought here: One thing working against us is how large a company Microsoft has become, im sure that sometimes the politics involved in such a mamoth of a company must even frustrate the heck out of a number of their employee's even if they earnestly want to do "the right thing" (which doesn't assume that the majority don't, just that politics sometimes misdirects aims/goals etc) [/edit]
They need to sharpen up their game as a large percentage of the users out there expect windows to "just work" as i said earlier, but until they do that in a more competent manner we are going to have to cover our asses and do it ourselves.Same thing has happened to me...
My husband didnt realise to make a Backup disk as he is a newbie.
There was no Vista CD supplied.
Safe mode reboots also.
Computer repair / system restore will not work.
Please does anyone have any help to be able to get the laptop out of the loop and start running, as I cannot even re-install it with no disc..
thanks
Diana2008 wrote: Same thing has happened to me...
My husband didnt realise to make a Backup disk as he is a newbie.
There was no Vista CD supplied.
Safe mode reboots also.
Computer repair / system restore will not work.
Please does anyone have any help to be able to get the laptop out of the loop and start running, as I cannot even re-install it with no disc..
thanks
Just found out...
Acer has the erecovery to factory setting options when pressing Alt and F10 on loading... fingers crossed its halfway through now !
phew after trying for 24 hours !!!! The Alt F10 has restored my acer laptop back to factory settings.
I hope that can help someone too.
- I've got a solution also, but it doesn't make sense
situation:
- reboot loop, reconfiguring updates...
- also in safe mode
tried 2 restore points but both failed with an error saying nothing has changed to the system. It was late and had to work the other day, so i got another look at it 2 days later.
and then it just worked again......
the thing that worries me a bit is the disk activity at the login screen, and since the laptop is not my own i don't have the password to any of the accounts yet
Looking from the cmd (Shift+F10) in the windows installer from the DVD, it seems all the files are still there (C:\Users\[username]\)
So, lessons learned from this: some things that suddenly broke, can (without reason) work again just as unexpected. No seriously, i haven;t learned anything since this doesn't make sense... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was on the phone with HP for 90 minutes! They were unable to help and even asked me to reset my hard drive and memory as a last attempt; against the idea, I did as they asked but knew it was an update issue.
Well, their only other alternative was to reformat and reload....... NO! Sure I back up, but only about once a month. Over the past two weeks, I have been scanning 20 years of film negatives, and xfering old VHS video to digital. Sure, I have some backed up but I want to edit first before backing up so I only backed up a fraction. Maybe 80 hours of work would have been lost if I reformatted!
So, sir; you have earned the most sincere Thank You possible from this earth!
Forever Happiness to you and your family.
TJ!
Fibble1 wrote: Driving a car? Sixties college projects? Toasters? REALLY??
Good gawd, I hate to even join this drivel, but do any of you cone-headed, pocket-protector-wearing geeks think that ANY of the conversation about WHY this problem occurs is helping anyone that HAS the problem?
FFS, go to the "I have nothing better to do than iron my Linux/MacOS/Commodore64 t-shirt collection" forum to continue your mindless babbling and insipid sniping at each other.
See the TOPIC, gentlemen, in case you've forgotten what this thread is SUPPOSED to be discussing.Well the topic (or rather the opening post) makes it pretty clear this is NOT about SP1, but about SP1 RC (Release Candidate). Few people posting here bother to state wether they are attempting to install a Beta or RC OR whether they are attempting to install a pirate copy of SP1 OR whether they are attempting to install the RTM SP1 which is available for download from TechNet or MSDN and was only made available during the 14th Feb.
Which of these applies to someone, has a considerable bearing on what kind of help they may get AND more to the point what kind of help they deserve.
So folks PLEASE make it clear which of the above applies to your problem.
H
You should contact HP to discuss how to proceed. They have must have put the info somewhere, and there must be a way to boot from the recovery disc on your HDD. Check your BIOS.
As for all who complain about updates... THere is a solution in Vista. You can choose which updates to receive, download and install.
I think the big issue here is that most people are automatically installing....you should only be automatically notified. then install one at at time to avoid conflicts between updates...
That way you can pick you battles.
- People are actually defending microsoft on this one?
wow. I tried going to the last good update - no luck -got the same loop! Then inserted a backup disk and the system is now frozen. Will not turn on and won't release the boot disk.
Thanks Microsoft for a wonderful product. Luckily I have another computer with XP that I can use to research this issue.
The Vista issue - is most frustrating as one can not purchase a new computer without Vista loaded.. at least not at most of the common retail sites. I'm a business analyst not a tech guru. This computer was purchased for my husband so he could play games and get email and perform stock market research. He is far from technical, too.
When you buy a TV you are not expected to understand the internal components and software used to make it work. The same is true when you buy a car. PCs that are intended for home use should be as simple to use. Unfortunately they are not.
I believe I will have to go to Best Buy and trust my laptop to one of their incompetent Geek Squad team members, as at this point the pc with Vista will not even turn on.
Thanks again Microsoft for such a frustrating product. Keep up the good work! Bums!
Hey all - Does anyone have any type of solution if there is no recovery disc available or any disk with the OS on it?
Also, please, let's not discuss the pros and cons of Microsoft in this thread. We need a solution. Have you noticed that this thread has been viewed over 22k times? We all got screwed when we took the auto update sometime yesterday.
Someone asked the intelligent question of 'which update is this?' so that we could start debugging the problem. The problem is, I don't even know. It's my wife's laptop and when she went to shut it down yesterday it started installing the auto update. Before you know it, I could hear the thing rebooting every two minutes - and you can't get out of the loop.
What blows me away is that Microsoft has not posted anything on the site yet - atleast nothing i could find. They should atleast say 'we know we have an issue and we are looking into it'. I am going to pull the harddrive and hook into another enclosure and hopefully retrieve the data. But I have no idea how i can reformat that drive when I don't have the OS disk. I bought the laptop with the OS loaded and I don't have the recovery disk. How screwed am I?
Any thoughts here? Does MS even read these threads? Are they even working on this? I would call, but everything says that I will have to pay $59 to even talk to someone about the destruction they have caused.
Hugo6003 wrote: Well the topic (or rather the opening post) makes it pretty clear this is NOT about SP1, but about SP1 RC (Release Candidate). Few people posting here bother to state wether they are attempting to install a Beta or RC OR whether they are attempting to install a pirate copy of SP1 OR whether they are attempting to install the RTM SP1 which is available for download from TechNet or MSDN and was only made available during the 14th Feb.
Thank you Hugo ... finally someone with some logic and sense.
IF this applies to the SP1 RTM, then Microsoft have something to answer for. If it only applies to the RC, then I have no sympathy.
I'd take a stab that many of the people who complained about this wouldn't be TechNet or MSDN subscribers.
- Just been to my dads and his computer has automatically download Vista SP1 and got stuck in the loop. Its not an RC, he got it from Áutomatic Updates' - I know, perhaps this option should have been disabled.
He doesnt have a Restore Partition (why the hell doesnt Vista just install this by default !!!), the ISO here http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
boots to a black screen and an original DVD boots, but then gets to a black screen.
I cant even get to a point to re-install from scratch short of dropping the HD into another machine and formatiing it.
Hmmm, I wonder how many people this is gonna affect.
Goes off to make sure I have a recovery partition installed on my other computers and doubly makes sure automatic updates are turned off !!! RWardley wrote: Just been to my dads and his computer has automatically download Vista SP1 and got stuck in the loop. Its not an RC, he got it from Áutomatic Updates' - I know, perhaps this option should have been disabled. That's a little odd, since it hasn't been released to 'Automatic Updates' yet (mid-March it'll go to machines without certain hardware).
See http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/02/04/announcing-the-rtm-of-windows-vista-sp1.aspx for more information.
Unless, of course, you are meaning the SP1 pre-requisite updates recently released (http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2008/02/12/windows-vista-sp1-prerequisites-non-security-update-coming-via-windows-update.aspx)
i have read all the responses to the first post and we seem to be getting lost.
Does anyone have a cure for this problem, i dont care if its microsofts fault or that i should be running linux, i just want to restore my laptop without any data loss.
does anyone have any solutions please.
Many users have found joy with the fix on this page: http://www.anguas.com/?p=47
Whatever!.........I too was struggling with this update "LOOP", and it sounds like the people who have it the worst are those who cannot get it to locate any restore files. This is because it wasnt detecting my ata hard drive. I booted bios "pressing del on start up" went into cmos and there was no drive being detected. So I physically unplugged it and plugged it into a different sata out plug, and Yea!! my maxtor was detected. Now I was able to due a restart and boot from the vista disk, where I used repair my system, restore to an earlier point. Now Im gonna disable auto updated fer shur, make a restore disk and all that other happy stuff. Good luck everybody!
Please see post: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2849211&SiteID=17
And disconect all USB devices including and specialy the BOOST STICK turn off all antivirus/spyware
- Please turn off all your antivirus/spyware remove all usb devices and look at
Please see post: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2849211&SiteID=17
That should fix your problem
- Not every Windows user is a "savvy" user. Automatic updates is convenient for users who are constantly busy doing other things rather than wondering when they should update their software. People had no clue that this update would mess up their computer and for some people, it isn't at all.Microsoft should make sure the updates they give out aren't going to completely wreck their customer's systems, that's their job. As the consumer, you should be able to trust the people you buy from, especially if it's a large corporation like Microsoft.Regardless, is there any easy way to fix this for someone lacking their install disk? My brother's laptop has been rebooting for a straight day and a half and he doesn't have his Vista CD.
Hugo6003 wrote: Oh please, not another fan of some old 60's college project that's been hacked, copied, tweaked, drooled over and worshipped.
I played with Ubuntu once, I mean its a toy, for goodness sake, I'm always amazed at the number of pseudo-techies that actually belive all this hype about Unix and its derivatives.
Get it straight: Unix was "designed" in the late 60's and cobbled together by a few geeks in the early 70's. It borrowed (and did so badly) from Multics, but missed all the solid bits and focused on gimmicky unreadable command line progs.
Even Linux is just a clone of Unix, all these OSs are very old, the design uses weak, dated concepts, only Microsoft had the balls to sit down and design NT from scratch, with a team that knew what they were doing. Everyone else just took the easy way out and cloned Unix which is simply very old technology nowadays.
Wake up.
Unless I am mistaken, WinNT implements Win32 which is common to Win98 and therefore derived from 16-bit Windows? So Win 3.1.1 and earlier? So they have an OS with thousands of patches for backward compatibility as well.
Now for the masses, they are told to have automatic updates and a tech savvy person cannot possibly expect avg Joe to know what updates to install and what not to - as one of the previous posters said. They follow the Microsoft recommended path. So Microsoft is most definitely responsible if they stuff people's systems with Automatic Updates.
I personally do not have automatic updates enabled and do not recommend it but the caveat is that the people you make this recommendation to must be able to determine what updates to install themselves otherwise they are only going to get themselves into trouble.
As for disabling automatic updates as a policy, would you do that for your virus checker? Well if you don't disable your virus checker, how many times has Symantec or others broken applications with false positives? So you audit that yourself as well? You can't blame people for this stuff. Responsibility lies with the application dev.
This has worked for me using Sytem Restore to a date before the Vista update. Can do this by pressing F8 early in the boot/reboot process. If you have a discless HP recovery, then press F11 during boot/reboot and select Advanced options then System Restore. Once restored turn off Automatic Updates. Who knows when it will be safe again to update Vista?????
This is the correct fix. It's unnecessary to remove the HDD and perform a "CheckDisk" on another PC. I had a Gateway laptop that had this problem, and I ran the backup and it worked like a charm. You can run the "Windows Update" after this as well. Any more problems, please post here.Actually, there are some indications that SP1 is being trickled out via Windows update. I actually just had a customer drop a system off tonight who has the "3 of 3" 0% error. I haven't looked at it yet, but i'm assuming it's SP1, as I had the same issue one one of our tech's laptop with SP1 RC.
It's looking like the root of this problem is anti-virus / anti-spyware software conflicting with the pre-requisite updates (which are now getting pushed out via automatic update, apparently) for Vista SP1.
Consequently, if you have this issue, it's looking like you need to pull back the update via system restore, turn off your anti-virus / anti-spyware protection and apply the updates.
good luck all!
- A couple of us at least now have managed to get past the "3 of 3" error, without using a restore point.See the other thread - http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PageIndex=4&SiteID=17&PageID=4&PostID=2549951#2549951I don't have SP1 installed, one of the recent automatic updates was to blame in locking meout of my system.
Just bought the wife an Acer T-55 and after a couple of days of use and the infamous automatic updates, got the looping updates. Read your post about acer and now doing the recovery...thanx for the input....
Diana2008 wrote: phew after trying for 24 hours !!!! The Alt F10 has restored my acer laptop back to factory settings.
I hope that can help someone too.
Thanx for the advice...I started the acer erecovery about one hour ago and it's doing its thing now....should I turn off the automatic updates so this doesn't happen again? OR is there a procedure/order for getting the correct updates in at the appropriate time? Don't want to have this happen again...any ideas how to proceed from here?
oldstyle wrote: Lost ALL my data. If I were you, after reinstalling the O/S, I just would have restored my data from my most recent backup.
found this and it worked for me
Here's what I did.
1) Boot from the Vista install disc (I understand the following works
as an alternative if you haven't got a
Vista disc 'Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download — The NeoSmart
Files'
(http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/) )
2) Choose your language, time etc and select the "Repair your computer"
option.
3) Start a command prompt and delete/move the following file.
C:\Windows\winsxs\pending.xml
In my case I moved it out the way onto my 'D:\' drive incase I ever
needed it again.
4) Restart the PC, you'll get the same 'configuring updates' screen but
after a while it will carry onto the desktop!!!
5) Turn off automatic updates and create a restore point. Wait until
MS
fixes the update.
Everything appears to be working normally now and I can reboot,
shutdown etc without getting the dreaded updates installing. Hope this
helps someone!- Proposed As Answer byHungr82 Monday, July 06, 2009 1:16 AM
- I had the problem a lot of folks had - my "recovery disk" does not have a "Repair Windows" option. The link that Maynard mentioned in his post has an .ISO file that you can download and burn to CD or DVD. IT WORKS! After you burn the ISO image to CD, just follow the steps in his post. Do not delete the "pending.xml" file, just rename it or move it to another folder. Also, be sure to change your bios settings to boot from CD before you try to boot up your Fista ... uh, I mean Vista machine again.
(This should also work if your machine doesnt have a Restore Point to restore to.)
Now that I got Vista working again, I'm gonna back up my computer, format the HD and install Windows XP Pro. Its days might be numbered but at least I wont have my system taking a dump for a week because MS wants to use its users as beta testers. - Hi,
What is the name or number of the update that is responseble for the Configuring Updates Step 3 of 3 - 0% Complete problem?
Did MS removed it yet from there site?
Thnx. - Here is the solution. No restore point needed. No installation disk needed. It is not my solution. I found it posted by Ernest Dunhin.
- After BIOS screen, hit F8 for the windows boot menu.
- Select the "repair" option (it is first on the list)
- Open a command prompt.
- Rename the following files:
C:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml C:\windows\winsxs\pending.old.xml
C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.xml -> C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.old.xml
- Reboot.
Windows will boot into the same "Configuring Updates" screen, but it will shortly dissappear and you will be presented with the normal logon screen.
I feel guilty. Mine worked just as Microsoft hoped. I do have an install cd just in case. I am having fewer problems with vista now. It is starting to work as well as XP.The link that Maynard mentioned in his post has an .ISO file that you can download and burn to CD or DVD.
I just tried the link and the page does not exist.
Is it available from somewhere else?
The following is from MS PSS (paraphrased):
Issue:
After installing updates from Windows Update, you may get into a Reboot loop where you machines gets to “configuring updates 3 of 3. 0% complete” then reboots. The machine then continues to reboot.
Solution:
1a. Boot to the Windows DVD and choose the repair option in the lower left hand corner, choose System Restore, and select a Restore Point predating the attempted installation of the updates.
1b. If you don't have the DVD and the Vista came preinstalled on the machine, boot to the Safe Mode options using F8 during startup (tutorial: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial61.html#vista).
Once in Safe Mode, invoke System Restore as follows:
Start | Run | (type in) rstrui.exe | [OK]
Select an available Restore Point predating the attempted installation of the updates.
Recommendation:
To avoid running into the same problem again, install the following update separately and ASAP:
A software update is available for the Windows Vista installation software feature:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937287
Download links for manual installation:
Vista x86 : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5639710d-dfbf-4527-806e-9a1634d0cc8e
Vista x64: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=54235949-b5db-4fe2-a841-ef938217b285
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/PLEASE HELP!!!!!
I have tried ABSOLUTELY everything i can think of !! I have been on the comp for over 12 hours.
1) I DONT HAVE A back up DVD
2) no matter what mode i try to log in, i get in to the same loop. I can f8 and f10, but then dont know what i could do from there. I can get in to DOS mode, but not sure what to do. EVERYTHING I have tried doesnt work!! i could REALLY do with some help. I have over 300gb on my comp that isnt backed up,( I KNOW I SHOULD BACK UP, its one of those "i will do that tom. things"!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!
Cheers,
Jay
- This definitely works!!!! GREAT JOB.
If you were like me I had to download the Vista Recovery ISO and use that to get to the repair options in which I could select Command Prompt to rename the files. My startup files had become corrupt. Once repaired via the CD I created with Nero everything went as described. All in all it is a very simple process.
1. Download Vista Recovery CD iso from http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=622 Used "Download Version" link
2.Used Nero to burn the image to disc
3. Booted from the CD, select your install language and click next. (All described on the above website)
4. Selected repair computer
5. Once startup was repaired, selected "Command Prompt" from options menu (as I had no restore points to choose from)
6. For those that might not know at X: command prompt type: cd\c:windows\winsxs and then use the "rename" command in the format of "rename pending.xml pending.old.xml" (do the same for cleanup.xml)
7, reboot and VOILA!!
All back to normal tiresias wrote: The link that Maynard mentioned in his post has an .ISO file that you can download and burn to CD or DVD.
I just tried the link and the page does not exist.
Is it available from somewhere else?
Wow, you are right the file and the page are gone. I dont know what happened ... maybe the MS police raided the poor guy! I'm sorry I dont know where else to get the file.- The only Place I can find in the moment is via Torrent But you need a torrent at:http://www.torrentportal.com/details/1737735/Vista_Recovery_Disc.iso.torrent
Not sure if the site is just down from beeng overloaded but you can get it via a torrend from here :
http://www.torrentportal.com/details/1737735/Vista_Recovery_Disc.iso.torrent
- This worked, and only took a few mins to get laptop running again. Thank you .
- Well I am not an advanced user, but just an average one, and I have to say that while I agree with you that XP would solve any frustrations that I have, I am too stubborn and will have to put up with the problems so that I can conquer this beast.
Having said that I have to relate the following quote from a programmer who was on one of the many computer shows on the radio, he said "because of the pressure to get software out into the maketplace, it is the only product that I know of that is broken when it hits the shelves and people must go through the frustration of updating and patching to get it to work." Can you imagine what would happen with any other product if it were broken when it hit the shelf, the company would go bankrupt in a short time, but not the computer industry, we just keep buying the broken product and spend countless hours fixing it. What a great world
!!
Well mrsteveargonman
It must be hard to be the "perfect computer geek", we MORONS must frustrate the life of you, however not all of us are at your level of knowledge, some of us simply buy a computer as a tool to accomplish basic tasks, either at home or for work.
We put our faith in those who design and produce products to make our life easier. Software is the only product I know of that is sold in a "broken" state to begin with, we then have to spend endless hours of our time updating and patching said product to work properly. I am sure that any other industry that produced broken products would not last long in the marketplace.
So my friend, take comfort in knowing that you are superior to most of us mere mortals, I must go now and try and figure out how to disable the automatic updates feature, even though it is recommended by the manufacturer that I have this feature turned on.
Here's a quirky idea for you, maybe instead of being rude and obnoxious, you could put your efforts into helping and educating people with their problems.
I am having the same problem. I spent hours on the phone with the maufacturer of my PC. I spent hours on the phone with Microsoft. I spoke to some very nice people in India and the Phillippines.
Microsoft tried to say that it was the fault of my PC manufacturer.
I couldn't do the needed update because I have an OEM version of Microsoft Vista Ultimate as opposed to a Retail version. Appears the Retail version doesn't allow you to "Repair my computer". I'd imagine there are tons of computers that will have this problem.
What have I learned? Mac doesn't have this problem. If I don't get this fixed (been down since Saturday, 2/16/2008) I'll probably buy a Mac. Long overdue anyhow.
- @klondin
This is a sure fix, but i didn't need to rename the cleanup.xml file, but doing this fix breaks things !!!!! Beware!!!
After you have finished this and restart, and everything if fixed, and it will be, you MUST do it again and rename them back to the way they were before you started, this is important if you dont want to REINSTALL later down the track, usually when you lest expect it!
thanks scotty - Thank you. My Dell Inspiron 1521 experienced the same thing and restore from previous system backup did the trick for me so far. What a major ^&%$##. Steve B needs to take some Vista people to the woodshed. Trouble enough getting used to UI then this nightmare.....
Having the dubious pleasure of installing Vista on about 40 machines every day I get this issue a lot. I've scoured the web for a definitive answer and narrowed it down to update KB937287. Apparantly what happens is Vista thinks it has downloaded this update when it hasn't so when it tries to shut down it either takes forever because it can't find it or it gives up and eventually restarts. It then tries to restart and configure an update that doesn't exist and loops.
I've found 3 workarounds for this:
1 Run Windows update and untick KB937287. Restart. Then allow update to install KB937287
2 If you've already installed it (or you think you have) hold down the power button to witch off the machine (you may have to do this a couple of times) This interupts the OSes attempt to install KB937287. When it then eventually restarts having configured the installed updates, run Update again and amazingly KB937287 appears. Install and all is well.
3 Download the available updates and install them from an elevated command prompt with /norestart.
I found the last way to be easiest...
And an update - this morning we are being offered as an update... KB939330 on 64bit systems.... Service Pack 1
What joy! Beware anyone using unsigned drivers...
- Well that's 64bit Home Premium with SP1 fully installed, captured and redeployed without any problems. It does take a long time to shut down initially though so don't be tempted to turn it off thinking it's crashed.
Hi,
...and thanks for the great advice. I worked like a dream...
I didn't think the beta was included in the auto updates. My machine is set to auto and I didn't get it. And prob. didn't get it because I didn't install the 1st one, which by the way was a dl at your own risk type prog. The 2nd was a RC, so you probably got because you chose to dl and install the 1st. Your fault.
- This fixed my computer. I was on the phone with tech support for the better part of 2 days and they wanted me to reinstall windows. I had no restore point and Starting in safe mode didn't work.
- Proposed As Answer byauhler Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:01 AM
Microsofts St. Valentines day Vista Massacre
My computer was in the endless restart loop. It Displayed:
Configuring Updates: Stage 3 of 3 - 0% Complete.
I received this update on Feb 14 and it killed Vista OS. I spent most of two days on the phone with a Microsoft guy from India named "Steve" They promised to call me back today to try and finish fixing the problem.
I googled the problem last night and found that many other people have had the same problem.
I also found a real fix. Starting in safe mode didn't work on my machine. But this did.While the computer is rebooting repeatedly press the F8 key until you get to the screen that has an option called “Repair Computer” at the top of the screen. Then click on the repair computer option. Once that window comes up select “DOS Command” then Type “C: “ Press enter, Type “CD Windows\winsxs” press enter Type “ren pending.xml pendingstop.xml” press enter Reboot computer and wait 5- 10 minutes for it to reboot. Then turn off automatic updates.
- Proposed As Answer byauhler Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:01 AM
My boss had this problem with his Dell pc. After phoning Dell and getting no joy, he phoned Microsoft here in the UK and they were able to help him sort the problem out. The problem is that some of the updates conflicted with his mcAffee antivirus software. My advice is to disable or maybe eben uninstall any antivirus software before installing the updates. Apparently there are three updates which conflict. Sorry, I don't have the KB numbers of the conflicting updates so that you can elect to not install them.
Paul
Microsofts St. Valentines day Vista Massacre
My computer was in the endless restart loop. It Displayed:
Configuring Updates: Stage 3 of 3 - 0% Complete.
I received this update on Feb 14 and it killed Vista OS. I spent most of two days on the phone with a Microsoft guy from India named "Steve" They promised to call me back today to try and finish fixing the problem.
I googled the problem last night and found that many other people have had the same problem.
I also found a real fix. Starting in safe mode didn't work on my machine. But this did.While the computer is rebooting repeatedly press the F8 key until you get to the screen that has an option called “Repair Computer” at the top of the screen. Then click on the repair computer option. Once that window comes up select “DOS Command” then Type “C: “ Press enter, Type “CD Windows\winsxs” press enter Type “ren pending.xml pendingstop.xml” press enter Reboot computer and wait 5- 10 minutes for it to reboot. Then turn off automatic updates.
Very sad indeed.
If Microsoft were as concerned about producing reliable code and working patches as they are about DRM (Digital Rights Management for video and audio files), then none of this would be an issue.
Everone should be aware of how Vista intentionally cripples your hardware, disables high-end output of digital audio and HD video, and hammers your cpu all in the name of protecting Hollywood's coffers;
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html
Shame on you Microsoft!
Does anyone have any idea why you can't uninstall certain Vista updates? Highlighting them does not give you the option to uninstall. This is totally unacceptable. There may be a valid reason for doing so, but you should be able to uninstall ALL updates.
Veestarh wrote: Does anyone have any idea why you can't uninstall certain Vista updates? Highlighting them does not give you the option to uninstall. This is totally unacceptable. There may be a valid reason for doing so, but you should be able to uninstall ALL updates.
Which KBs?
- I had the same problem. When the desktop appears, I repeatedly pressed f8 which kept the desktop alive long enough to access the System Tools & System restore. It jumped back to the login screen a couple of times during this but by logging in and hitting f8 again until you engage the system restore, it will keep your desktop alive. Once the system restore is initiated it should stay logged in. Upon restart, everything should be back to normal.
- I had the same problem. When the desktop appears, I repeatedly pressed f8 which kept the desktop alive long enough to access the System Tools & System restore. It jumped back to the login screen a couple of times during this but by logging in and hitting f8 again until you engage the system restore, it will keep your desktop alive. Once the system restore is initiated it should stay logged in. Upon restart, everything should be back to normal.
- Re: fix: Posted By: D Clarke on 21 Feb 2008 6:46 PM UTC
I have used this method on my daughter's notebook (many thanks for the tip), but I will need to switch automatic updates back on at some point. Does re-naming the file cause any side issues?
I'm trying to do a manual update to get down KB937287 which is supposed to have been a pre-req, but the PC is stuck in the windows update screen.
Any further news on this issue, why is microsoft taking so long to respond?
Chris - Hi Chh77,
I had the same problem after the "12FEB08 Security update", after which my computer was so secure that it went into the endles restarting loop.
After letting it run all night; after all it said: "Do not turn off computer" and we do as we are told; I went on the internet using a Windows XP computer (FORTUNATELY it has not been replaced by VVVVIIIISSSSTTTTTAAAA; the sssllllooowwweeesssstttt Windows ever; the 'This program does not respond' operating system; even slower than my old Pentium 1 166MMX) only to find out that a lot of people had (and still have) the same problem.
Quickly it was obvious that it had to do with automatic updates and that I had to find out what update caused the problem and: when!
Reading dozens of messages like yours it became obvious that the infamous update happened on 12FEB08.
After going on to the Microsoft site and having "learned more" about the update and all the wonderfull stuff that was now going to be solved; (as far as I gathered they are only covering up security issues and probably fixing holes that they were unable to foresee when writing the code...) it was not obvious which one of the 'updates' caused the 'stage 3 of 3' problem.
So; to get the computer started again, I put in the installation DVD, selected a restore point to a date older than 12FEB08; got the machine back in business and SWITCHED OFF (very important!!!!) the automatic updates. (It was stupid to leave it on in the first place...)
Then I wrote an email to techsupport explaining the problem, got an answer a few days later telling me that since I live in Europe they would not be responsible for such problemsand I should contact the 'local' Micisoft; which I did:
I basically asked them if they were aware of the described problem and if they could tell me which update was likely to have caused the described problem.
Today almost 2 weeks later, I still have no answer.
But this is probably due to the fact that all their computers are stuck in the 'configuring updates: stage 3 of 3 (96%). Do not turn off computer' mode and they come to work everyday and watch their computers starting up over and over again and having the time of their live....
In fact, thinking about it, I do now understand why Bill Gates retired... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
Microsoft has published several different ways to fix this. None are too hard if you know what you are doing. While I agree that this shouldnt have happened in the first place.... !@#$ happens. Anyway what is going to be fun for me is having to assist people that have very very limited OS repair skills get thier computers back up. This should make for an exciting week.
- I just figured out a way to resolve the problem (found on another board). I booted to command prompt using WinPE (you can use a Vista install disc) and deleted c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml.
mrsteveargonman wrote: Entirely Microsoft's fault, eh? You don't HAVE to have automatic updates turned ON. You should learn to take responsibility for your own actions. If it was enabled by default, you should have disabled it. Any savvy user knows that automatic updates is a bad idea. If it was not enabled by default then you're a moron for enabling it and then whining when you get bit. Totally agree.
Microsoft CANNOT think about every possible combination of peripherals you might possibly have on your system.You left autoupdate on.
or
You fired up SP1 Update?
One might go as far as....
You purchased Vista? didnt you?
well,
nothing is perfect and thats something you choose to attempt
Bite the bullet and live with it.
THANK YOU !!! It really worked. I tried and tried to call Microsoft and only got hung up on without ever getting ahold of a real person..
This saved all my information on my Personal Confuser.
When using the Vista DVD...SELECT: Repair this Computer...Then Restore Point. This was my fix.
Thank you, Again.
Hi Jay,
I had the exact problem. I tried many, many options, then this worked for me:
Boot computer with recovery disk. Choose repair vista. Choose "cmd" prompt. Type rstrui.exe /offline:c:\windows (if this gives no response type simply rstrui.exe). This should bring up choices for system restore (I wasn't able to run System Restore from the menu - I kept receiving error message "system restore already running". Restart would just bring up the same old loop). Restore to beginning of latest Microsoft updates.
It was posted that KB937287 was the culprit for this near comatose endless-loop debacle. I am definitely going to look out for it and un-tick its box.
Hope this helps.
Moomie
This worked! However, I had to use the install dvd to get to the C: prompt. But the important piece of information was to kill that c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml file.
I am a victim of ID Theft, we are received calls left right and centre and loans being put into our bank, and direct debits set up to take out double the amount !!!!
They have names,addres, DOB, mobile and also email address, which was a brand new email I had set up on the laptop that this bug attacked 2 days later !!!!
Nobody else had this new email address.
Could it be something to do with this bug? could it really have been a virus?
I've just encountered this ridiculous problem last night. I've spent the whole morning doing that.
After trying all means suggested by the kind persons here, I finally fix it.
I hope my post can help those still in need.
My problems:
* cannot repair, it requests admin password, but I dont have that!
* cannot run the safe mode, just keep looping
* no windows DVD, only have recovery disc, yet can only FORMAT!
Solution:
Press F8
Choose Recovery and Utility
Choose C: for repair
Choose "Run the programs", or "installation drivers?" (I am not exactly sure that english term, coz I'm using chinese windows)
Then you can see the box, asking u to choose the installation programs
Go to C: --> Windows --> winsxs
It will display many folders, if u cannot find pending.xml
type *.* on the "open file box"
and u can see the pending.xml
rename it to pending.old.xml
and restart!
Thanks Ernest and all people for helping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After trying several other suggestions, this is the method that finally worked for me. Thanks to all who posted this solution.
As a matter of interest, have you tried to re-apply the SP since? Now that my PC is working again I am reluctant to re-apply the SP.
~Paul.
The only "moronic" issue here is continuing to trust Microsoft! Somewhere, some millions of people should get together and start a class action suit to make Microsoft pay for people"s time they steal!!!
Like that would happend...
Never beter served by yourself.
Perhaps you should do that yourself if you want that to happend.
Dought anyone would be able to prove that any of this is in fact intentional, let alone be liable to damaged property.I still think they should include a prior version of the operating system with the purchase of the current..
Example: Purchase Vista Premium: ----> You get an XP Home ED Key with the install CD.Or at least be able to download / Install XP Home.
Then if you really hate Vista after trying it and would like to return to a previous version, YOU CAN.
If you think your being stolen of your precious time, perhaps you should seek an IT professional to do the updates for you.How many got there ID stolen? and experienced that bug?
Blame microsoft for a bad SP1 is one thing , Blame them for your ID being stolen is another.
They might have wide shoulders to fit all the blame but now thats just rediculous.IDs are being stolen everyday, are you all going to start putting blame on microsoft because you got HIV, or cancer for the radiation your computer does?
Pssss.
For any concerned, I think my failed install may have been caused by Spybot S&D. Spybot did an update shortly before I had the failed SP1 problem, I think it may have installed some kind of protection for the registry that Windows update couldn't get around. Sure wish the Microsoft people had known about the "pending.xml" issue. I ran SFC but it would not work because of the pending repair issue.
As far as paying someone to do my updates for me, I have paid this in the price of the OS to begin with. If Pawan and Chaiytlain from Microsoft can't figure it out in 6 hrs of rebooting, reenabling 130+ services, and starting over again, what chance would I have of walking in to a computer store and getting help? $50/hr for 20 hrs for someone to watch it reboot, and then another 3 hrs to reinstall the OS?
Us mere mortals have little chance, and littler resources. It wouldn't hurt MS to give us a complimentary upgrade to Ultimate.
Al V
- Here too. Garbage.....#$^$@
- This happened to me too and I don't have any system restore points. Any other solutions?
- This happened to me too and I don't have a system restore point. Any other solutions?
any solutions for this case ? or case closed ?
mine:
IBM Lenovo X60, Windows Vista Business, automatic update was turn on, because i think "... i use Microsoft product, the update might be useful, and it is from Microsoft ..."
1. i can go to the Safe Mode (all Safe Mode), but it will keep showing the "Configure updates: stage 3 of 3 ..." screen.
2. some of user here said that, there is a "Repair" options, but i didn't see it, it is just only for some version ? only from DVD ? or ?
3. i don't have Vista DVD, because nowadays when you buy a laptop most of the brand will not come with the CD/DVD Recovery Disc, usually they will use a certain step to restore back to default factory setting.
4. from number 3: i can use restore back to default factory setting, IBM Lenovo has it, but it will erase all the data, and i don't want that,
so ? any idea ?
apreciate any help
thanks.
Here is the solution. No restore point needed. No installation disk needed. It is not my solution. I found it posted by Ernest Dunhin.
- After BIOS screen, hit F8 for the windows boot menu.
- Select the "repair" option (it is first on the list)
- Open a command prompt.
- Rename the following files:
C:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml C:\windows\winsxs\pending.old.xml
C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.xml -> C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.old.xml
- Reboot.
Windows will boot into the same "Configuring Updates" screen, but it will shortly dissappear and you will be presented with the normal logon screen.
This was posted by another at around page 7 of this thread. If you fish aroung in pages 7-8 I think you'll find instructions to run system restore from a command prompt, if it still exists. "rstrui.exe" or some such. I got into the command prompt by using a rescue disc from Avanquest System Suite 8, but it was at almost the same time this fix was posted, and I was dealing with Pawan and Chaytlain from Microsoft and they had me wipe the drive because they hadn't read this forum.
Is there a way to change this thread so most recent posts open first??
Al V
- Does anyone have a straightforward reply to this situagion -- endless look, no CD. Is there a solution??
- Look around on pages 5-7 of this thread for instructions on renaming "pending.xml" to "pending xml.old". You'll have to get a command prompt whatever way you can.
- Yes it Is entirely Microsoft's fault.. If the software was tested thoroughly then this would have never happened, But MS got all excited about how they can screw more users with deeper embedded drm and released software before it was sufficiently tested..
It is not a users fault that automatic updates are by default turned on.. Automatic Updates are supposed to be a convenient feature, not a burdon..
If users are to take responisibility for automatic updates being turned on or off, Windows should have a wonderful notice saying,
Warning, if you have automatic updates turned on, An automatic update may render your computer useless and you may have to repair/reinstall windows..
Would you like to enable automatic updates?? Yes No Hi All:
I wanted to put in some pointers to specific information in this long thread:
1) If you hit this issue installing from Windows Update, please see this KB article, or contact support directly:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
2) The issue has been fixed with the current versions of the update. To read more about the problem and the fix please see: http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2008/04/07/windows-vista-sp1-prerequisite-kb937287.aspx
i feel like i don't want to do the Update anymore since this case happened, *sigh* ...
i tried all the way from this first page until now,
i can reach this step:
"
- Rename the following files:
C:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml C:\windows\winsxs\pending.old.xml
C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.xml -> C:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.old.xml
"
but in the end, it was said "Acces denied", can't rename, delete or move ... i tried to "attrib -s ..." also didn't work.
no choice ... i restored back to default factory setting and i lost all of my data, it was office data ...- well
- How can you defend this bug, its just hung my exchsngw 2007 on windows 2008
yes it is entirely microsoft's fault you idiot. They keep telling and posting everywhere that SP1 will increase the system stability and performance yet it proves to be just opposite. If thousands of nerd filling their huge wallets with fatty salary every month from microsoft can not think of these kinds of troubles how can you expect just simple users to think these unforeseen problems? I am sure I am more than just an avarage user and yet I have fallen to the same problem since microsoft keeps boasting with all its arrogance in the message before installation, instead of warning the user about what kind of problems they might get so it is a risk that must be taken. Then maybe people who already are on their nerves due these problems dont have to stand wannabe lickers like you. What are you doing here after all if you dont have a problem with SP 1?
- Two things:
-Stop bitching about Microsoft, and stop bitching about the User. "Tch. You don't have your drives defragged every morning as the sun rises to stop convolution of data streams? Noob. Turn off auto-updates". Yeah. That totally solves someone's problem. Shut the hell up.
-If you knew anything about the Help Panel, you'd know that Vista makes a restore point prior to and after every Automatic Update. I simply went 6 days prior to installing the bugged update in my "Registry Timeframe" (restored a past registry), and then everything worked fine.
THATS IT.
-Upon restarting, I hit F12 to bring up the boot menu.
-I selected "Repair Registry", and selected a prior date.
-I clicked 'Restore'
-I went on with my life.
Simple as effing that. In my case it wiped out all the restore points. I am still installing programs. I had a month old backup on Windows Home Server but WHS ate it with their "disk balancing system".
This was a very big FUBAR, a lot of users have lost a lot of time and information. The world is not going to be able get rid of Windows, but it would be appropriate for MS to make some kind of ammends. I think it would be advantageous to offer free upgrades to Vista Ultimate. It would at least acknowledge that our time has value. It could also possibly increase their sales by haveing a larger installed base to extoll Ultimates Virtues, if, indeed, it has any.
They have published the fact that this was caused by their flaw in SSU. (Selective Stack Updater?) Or some such gibberish that us end users should not have to know about.
We need to give thanks to all that have posted constructive help on this issue. And pox on those that belittle those of us that are not smart enough to outwit 50 million lines of code from the best engineers India and Pakistan have to offer!
Al V
since you are a total idiot I will remind you the name of this thread. Stage 3 of 3 stuck in endless reboot loop. Although english is not my native language I am glad I am better than some morons at understanding what I am reading. Now tell me newby, how can I reboot while my computer is stuck in an endless booting. I suppose you want me to use brute force and power off my computer while it is strictly advised not to do so. I did so after an overnight endless booting and my computer messed up completely. I restored to an earlier point and contacted a microsoft employee through microsoft chat. He wanted me to install it again. I did so and of course I had to use brute force again to get rid of the endless booting. I was able to open my computer while it had completely unstable system and contacted the same microsoft employee. for help he wanted to take the control of my computer and I allowed, all he did was to try to increase system performance by some methods which is known by even noobs like you. deleting template files, prefetch files and cleaning boot from msconfig. before I told him not to delete temp files he already did that. And now I already lost the chance to return to a restore point. You see even microsoft employees can be idiot. I dont know what kind of relationship you and microsoft have but stop sending me email. who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do or what not to do about microsoft or user? Or what? You think I give a damn about a forum in which no offical help is provided and while some people state their just complaints, others try to lick boots of microsoft? i spent hundreds of bucks for microsoft products and I dont think you should be my collocutor.
And if you are defraging your hard drive everyday like a scared ***, you are already a total nooby. Why should I close auto update? Just because they released an update as buggy as it is, I should everytime go and see what updates available? why does microsoft strongly recommend it keep it on then? Why cant they update their products properly while my computer is completely dominated by microsoft? How come so many companies can do it without any problem while they are supposed to overcome the restrictions microsoft put on our computers?
get a life and learn how to talk to people without provoking them.My computer got the update last week (May 1st) and hasn't come up since. When turned on it continuously reboots. The problem has not been solved...not for everyone.
My update was installed on May 1 and I'm stuck. I'm very interested in your fix but I don't understand how you got from step 2 to step 3 in your post without a step 2.5 in the middle. I can get to the Repair your computer and I do that but can't find a way to get to a command prompt. Perhaps you are then booting to safe mode but my computer does a blue screen crash when I attempt that. Was there some other route you took to get the prompt?
Thanks!
I had a disk for System Suite that I could boot from. If you've had a compuiter for very long, you've probably got something around that will boot for you to get a command prompt. I found 2 from Acronis, 3 from Norton, along with System Suite 5-8 that will all boot. For what its worth. The main thing is killing the "pending.xml", though I don't know what happens after that. MS had me reinstall windows.
If you had a "BSOD" or "Stop Error", I think your next boot menu gives an option not to rfestart on memory dump.
I've been playing with "Hardy Heron" (Ubuntu) on the box I had WHS on, and its beginning to look interesting!
Al V
- Hello all i install sp1 also but i thought it was stuck also but it is part of the process durning the install for it to restart i think it restarted 3 or 4 times took about 1hour 15min. But the very last screen i got was one that said installing Sp1 3of3...once that was done everything was fine...but it does take a while to install...hope this helps
- 1. Insert the Windows Vista install DVD, and restart the computer.
2. Press any key when it asks you if you want to boot from the dvd.
3. Select your language, country, and keyboard type from the prompt. If you are in the US its probably already right.
4. choose "Repair your Computer".
5. Select your operating system from the list and click next.
6. on the system recovery options page, click Command Prompt.
7. Type regedit and press enter
8. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Don't expand it, just click the title to highlight it.
9. Click file and click load hive.
10. Locate the folder c:\Windows\winsxs.
11. Find the file named pending.xml.
12. Right click on the file and click rename.
13. Change the name from pending.xml to pending.old
14. Then navigate to the folder C:\windows\system32\config\components.
15. When prompted for a name "Offline_Components"
16. Open the registry HKML\Offline Components and delete the file AdvancedInstallersNeededResolving.
17. Then delete PendingXmlIdentifier.
18. Restart the computer and it should be fixed. - 100% correct. I work with Microsoft products on hundreds of servers and thousands of pc's and we have to test all their patches because they trash everything. We will never in my lifetime move to Vista. It's the biggest Turd since Windows ME. Remember that abomination. Now Microsoft has trashed countless machines and they cant even fix it. With all their resources. I can't wait for the next Apple commercial. That poor fat Vista boy is going to take a beating. Linux is great but most American's are way to fat and lazy to learn something new, Even if it's free and never crashes.
Very well said! I still feel Microsoft should make some kind of amends for the time and expense they have caused.
Al V
- Well, so far I've seen a few solutions to get the computer running again.... Thanks to all.
But how to install sp1 (through Windows Update) now??? the same problem (stage 3 of 3 stuck in endless reboot loops) happens again and again when trying to install sp1...
Any help?
Thx,
Harry I have 3 computers running on Vista. Two on Premium, one on Basic. All computers have automatic updates enabled.
I was able to instal SP1 on 2 machines running on Vista Premium without any problems. Last one is stuck at this 3rd stage. Has nothing to do with automatic updates.
- Hi Could you elaborate please? I have a dual boot system, controlled by grub. I set up grub to boot first from Windows but it still couldn't boot from the cd. It sounds like you want me to disable grub temporarily. How do I do that? And how do I get grub back aftwards? Sorry for being such a noob. Leo
my story is of crashing endless reboot during UNinstall of vista SP1, in stage 3 (just as in the install loops). however, the modify registry solution will not work for the uninstall pending job. read on.
vista 32 on duo core toshiba
updated to SP1
had a problem with MySQL
tried to UNINSTALL the SP1
crashed in stage 3 and went into endless reboot loop
nothing helped. safe/repair/chkdsk
and no restore points were available (which was a mystery)
spent 2.4 hours on phone with good microsoft tech help
exhausted any other possibility. they showed me how to backup data but no matter what it would have required reinstall.
of course the only reason i relate this is i did not have a backup of data, plus had a complex configuration i'd rather recover than reinstall.
while talking/waiting/testing with microsoft person, surfed article Turn on wireless BlueScreen Intel 3945ABG
and saw the wireless issue.
so, turned off wireless (toshiba has external switch on case)... rebooted,
and uninstall proceed to end (!) 100%
but then said it could *not* uninstall
and then proceeded to the desktop!!! i could then uninstall MySQL and all was well.
yes, now i make a backup. it is possible that MySQL had a problem with SP1 but the wireless was a bolt from blue sky.You are an absolute star. I have been pulling my hair out I could see the ghost image for the C Drive from the Vista boot CD however I couldn't change the directory to get to it until I saw your comments. Please follows the steps outlined by D Clarke the author of the tip. My only problem now is having turned the update off and having been burn't, how will I know which one's to install is there a site to give guidance. Once again thank you D Clark you certainly saved me some money
The Warrier or 20mins ago The Worrier